Material working apparatus



c. 21, 3.931, R Q KlVLEY 2,102,721

- MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS I Filed Feb. 9, 1935 7/ i &

ma /v70? Giff/mm Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED iS-TATES PATENT OFFICE 1V v 4 2,102,721 f g V 'YMATIERIAL WORKING APPARATUS V RayC. Kivley, oakPark, 111., assignor to Western HEIectric Company, Incorporated, NewYork,

Y., a corporation of New York M Application February 9, 1935, Serial No.5,718

7 l l 2' Claims. (01. 16 m l1 rests upon a lower horizontal surface l8of This invention relates to material Working apparatus, and moreparticularly to material holding devices for materialworkingapparatus,such as material shearing and punching machines.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an effective andsimple device for autoinvention as used in connectionrwith a materialshearing apparatus employing, a reciprocative material shearing bladeand acooperating stationary die member, there is provided a materialholding or clamping device comprising a wedge block reciprocative in achannel in the stationary die member through which the material to besheared is fed, one side of the wedge block engaging the material andthe opposite side engaging an inclined surface ofthe die-member.Operative connections are arranged; between the means for actuatingtheshearing blade and the wedge block whereby in timedrelation to theactuation of the blade the wedge block is operated to clamp the materialduring the shearing movement of the blade and is released during thereturn movement thereof, during which latter movement or at thecompletion thereof the material is fed forward for the succeedingshearing operation.

referring to the following detailed description read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is afragmentary vertical central section through a material shearingapparatus embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, looking from the right of Fig. 1.

As illustrated in the drawing the work or material clamping deviceembodying the features of this invention has been shown applied to ametal strip shearing machine which may be of any usual type, forinstance, a punch press. Since it is not essential to a completeunderstanding of the invention the machine has not been illustrated,except those parts directly concerned With the invention, which comprisethe following: A vertical reciprocative platen and a stationary bed Illand II, respectively. Fixed to the upper surface of the machine bed H isa shearing die l3 having formed therein a horizontally extending channell4 for guiding and supporting elongated metal I! to be sheared in theoperation of the machine. The metal strip channel I4 above the strip l1with'its'lower surface engaging the strip is a wedge block 20. The uppersurface of the wedge block 20 is inclined at an angle similar to that ofthe inclined surface I9 of the channel I4. At its right outer end(Fig. 1) the wedge block 20 carries a pin 2| which extends .therethroughand projects from each side thereof and outwardly from parallel sides ofthe shearing die l3. Attached to' each end of the pin 2| is a coiledtension spring 24, the opposite ends of the springs being attached topins 25 fixed to the corresponding sides of the shearing die. Thetension of the springs 24 is such that the wedge block 20 will be drawnor forced inwardly to hold or clamp the metal strip H from movement onthe surface 18 of the die channel [4 when the springs are permitted toact in a normal manner. v

[Fixed to the left end of the reciprocative platen Ill (Fig. 1) is ashearing blade 26 which in a downward movement of the platen. cooperateswith'a shearing surface 21 of the die l3 to shear the metal strip l1projecting from the die surface. At its right end the platen l0 carriesa cam plate 28 having two spaced depending arms 3| formed at their lowerends with similar offset portions 32 which are formed with cam surfaces33. The cam surfaces 33 are continually engaged with the opposite endsof the pin 2| pro-- jecting from the wedge block 20 and the contour ofthe cam surfaces. is such that in the upper or retracted position of theplaten Ill, as shown in the drawing, the wedge block is held in aninoperative or released position against the tension of the springs 24,constantly tending to draw or force the wedge block into an operativeholding or clamping position.

The operation of the hereinbefore described automatic material holdingdevice in one application thereof to a strip shearing machine is asfollows: In the drawing the machine is shown in its normal position withthe platen H1 at the upper end of its movement, after the completion ofa shearing operation, and with the strip of metal 11 advanced throughthe die I 3 a desired distance, as determined by a stop member 35, inpreparation for the succeeding shearing operation. In this position theplaten ill carrying the shearing blade 26 and the cam plate 28 is causedto descend. Before the shearing blade 26 moves into engagement with thestrip H, the cam surfaces 33 of the cam plate 28 which are engaging thethe horizontal surface iii of the channel M in the die l3. In timedrelation to the clamping of the strip I! in position for shearing, theshearing blade 26 in its continued downward movement, engages the stripI? and shears the portion thereof projecting from the shearing surface21 ofthe die [3. In the return or upward movement of the platen it, thecam surfaces 33 of the cam plate 28 cause the pin 2! and the wedge block20 to be shifted to the right against the force of the attached springs24, thus restoring energy in the springs 24 and releasing the strip l1,whereupon the strip may be fed forward, in the direction of the arrow(Fig. 1), a distance, limited by the position of the stop member 35, forthe succeeding shearing-operation.

Although in the herein described and illustrated embodiment of theinventionthe materialholding or clamping element is actuated to itsoperative position by spring action it may be desirable in the case ofmaterial which is extremely uniform in thickness throughout its lengthto provide a positive connection between the'element and thereciprocative platen so that the element will be actuated to itsoperative position and retracted therefrom directly from the movement ofthe platen.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a simpleautomatic work or material holding or clamping device is provided foruse with material working apparatus whereby the'material to be workedmay be automatically positively held with a desired pressure, orresistance to movement, and after being worked released in timedrelation to the operation of the apparatus.

It will be understood that the embodiment herein described is merelyillustrative of the invention and one application thereof, the inventionbeing limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a material working apparatus, a support for the material having atapered channel therein for the passage of elongated material, meansmovable to and from the material for working thereon, meansreciprocativein said channel effective in one position thereof in cooperation with atapered side of said channel and the material for holding the materialrelative to the support and in another position releasing the material,and means including an operative connection between the working meansand the holding means responsive to the movement of the working meanstowards the material for actuating the holding means to hold thematerial and actuating the holding means to release the material duringthe movement of the working means from the material.

2. In a material working apparatus, cooperating reciprocative andstationary material working elements, said stationary element having anopening therethrough extending at an angle to the movement of saidreciprocative element, an

upper Wall of the opening having an inclined surface, the material beingsupported on a surface of a lower wall of and within the opening of saidstationaryelement, a reciprocative wedge block extending into theopening between the upper surface of the material and the inclinedsurface, and means including an elastic actuator responsive to amovement of said reciprocative work ing element towards the material tomove said wedge block into wedging relation with the inclined surfaceand the upper surface of the material to clamp the material to saidstationary element and retracting the wedge block during a movement ofsaid reciprocative working element from the material.

' RAY C. KIVLEY.

